El Segundo California Firefighter Salary And Job Requirements

By definition, firefighters are professionally trained people to save lives and properties in case of fire. They are selected among the best to risk their lives in rescue operations. Often loved by girls, these pros aren’t frightened of anything as well as literally lay down their lives daily like policemen. You see the accolades these professionals acquire, would you not like to become like these bold firefighters?

firefighter career summary El Segundo California
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Table Of Contents

Just How Much Does A Firefighter Make In El Segundo?

If you love your work, sometimes you really feel like you’re not working anymore. Nevertheless, this passion is not enough to provide your finances such as basic needs as well as lifestyle. We all need money so we can move, after all money is crucial. That is why when you pick a profession to pursue, it’s unquestionable that you think also how much cash you can gain from it. For some, it’s the only motivation in the morning to get up and go to work. People in the community service sector do not get paid as much. But income is not really their basis of pleasure and fulfillment. {Let us find out how much a firefighter earns.|Without further ado, let’s figure out the wages of a firefighter.

firefighter salary El Segundo California
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

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Around $49,000 is the mean annual income a firefighter makes. A median of around $46,000 is the median. The figures may vary based on the what state he is in or his education degree or his expertise and experience. Below is a listing of these factors and how they are able to increase or decrease your income being a firefighter.

Location Matters

The precise location of the fire department is a major factor in figuring out someone’s salary. This is because of a number of components like – population size, availability of firemen and frequency of fighters. A place exactly where spontaneous wildfires are likely, have a higher need for firemen than any other locations. New York has the highest rate among firefighters with 70% above the national mean. On the other hand, Columbia pays the cheapest at 38% below the national average.

firefighter average salary by state El Segundo California
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Education Qualification

In case you have undergone a study in fire science in high school, you will be eligible to apply as being a firefighter. In this area of firefighting, having attained a college degree is beneficial. Here’s 2 main reasons why. One is that it is evidence of your expertise in the field. Another one is for the department to spend less on you before becoming an asset in the government. Consequently, they can afford to pay you more. In case you have a degree, whether it’s a bachelor’s or an associate’s degree, that would help you acquire added advantage. Just how much more if you have a graduate credentials in firefighting.

Length of Work Experience

Experience is usually a major key in deciding someone’s earnings. As a firefighter, your revenue can rise around 50% with experience in the field of 20 years. That percentage is quite as compared with other job which is at 15% to 20% even they have the same length of experience.

Accreditation and Training

Even the basics of EMT, it’s still required by a fireman. However, aside from learning the basic, you can go more and learn the advanced accreditations. Having these credentials gives you a greater chance of generating more. It also gives you a “Plan B” if you do decide to change careers later.

Industry

By the end of the day, your company signs your paycheck. Per BLS records, it is not the government employers who pay out firefighters more, however it’s the private companies. This includes companies that deal with waste management, coal as well as oil production, and also metal product manufacturing. Nevertheless, the local and the state government still hire the most number of firefighters.

Other Benefits

If you’re a government personnel, an advantage you get is the benefits you could claim. You get the services like insurance in your health or even dental check up. But you also get covered sick leaves and reimbursement for some specific tuition fees. The exact advantages differ from department to department.

As you could see, the monetary scope of a fireman is not as good as that of a doctor. But a fireman has the accolades of an instant savior. Learn the prerequisites to becoming a firefighter and be the man, the fireman, the savior!

El Segundo Firefighter Job Outlook

firefighter job outlook El Segundo California
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The job outlook is an important aspect while determining which career to get into. You wouldn’t wish to pick your favourite career choice simply to realize that it going down the drain in a few years. You will find out such information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The career outlook for public servants is definitely on the rise since because of the ever-growing population. So, what does the future hold for the common fireman? Let us discover.

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There are currently about 300,000 firemen employed in america. There is a steady growth of 5% for the next several years till 2024. This is the average progress rate of any normal profession. Which means that there would be about 12,000 new jobs by 2024. Nonetheless, this also implies that there would be that much more individuals looking to get the job also. Hence, there will be some competition. This is primarily because of the low education specifications and the attractions of a public service job. The pay might not be very high, however the advantages make up for that. It’s approximated that there might be about 100 people competing for the same position by 2024.

firefighter job outlook by state El Segundo California
*Image Credit – BLS.gov

Steps To Becoming a Firefighter

You have to follow a specific process to join any career. Primary requirement is you should have the necessary education. You should have your diploma or you will never get employed. Being a firefighter, there are not too many education requirements that one needs to have. However, there are many other needs like physical, medical and legal that one needs to have to be approved for being a firefighter. Let’s explore these in detail.

Educational Requirements

The fundamental prerequisite to become a firefighter is to complete high school and acquire a relevant degree. The subjects usually do not matter as such. Nevertheless, possessing some courses in fire sciences does help your cause. Which will give you a backgrounder of the profession you are about to enter.

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After high school, many individuals decide to get some formal college education in the field before they become a firefighter. The minimum age requirement is 18 years. Thus, one could not elect to be a firefighter right out of high school. College degrees in fire sciences are a big plus in case you are planning to be a part of the field. Courses which show you how to save people, handle hydraulic tools like ladders or some other related things are a major plus.

It’s optional, you may pursue a graduate studies in that same field. The former ones are needed to get promoted to bigger positions. At the same time, keep in mind that the maximum age qualification is kept at 28-30 years of age. That is why you must not over concentrate on acquiring too much education to be able to meet the requirements.

Paramedic Training

Every firefighter is needed to have an EMT certification. The one required is the EMT-B or the EMT-Basic. This certifies firefighters that they know what to perform in the event of fires or in accidents. The training may last for up to 12 months. Should you decided to become a paramedic at later time, you must acquire education in the field of Emergency Medical Services. This will help them acquire an edge over other candidates and hopefully, a better income. In some cases, fire victims rescued are attended by medical professional which are firefighters as well.

Qualified to Drive Vehicle In California State

Many states require the candidates to be able to drive. As a result, they want their applicants to be a licensed driver that might help them in case that person is needed to drive the firetruck to the area. The driver’s license also validate other details needed in application like for instance the age.

Clean Record

In most cases, a firefighter is compared as a policeman. They carry out a thorough criminal background check before they are appointed. It absolutely required that an aspiring firefighters should have a clean record, no criminal history. If you think you have previous records, then better not to pursue this career as you will right away be disqualified. People who were pardoned for their crimes are usually accepted, nevertheless, not all fire departments admit such people.

El Segundo Physical Prerequisites

Firefighters need to be physically fit to perform thier job all the time. Instances like lifting fire victims or even objects to free victims arise quite often in rescue missions, consequently, firefighter’s upper body strength is a must. They are also supposed to possess the high endurance to cope with the excessive running around they have to do. All firefighters undertake rigorous physical exams both in the academy and before it.

El Segundo Medical Prerequisites

Firefighters must deal with a lot of suffocating scenarios. Firefighters have face masks to overcome those circumstances but even so, if have respiratory condition, this may hinder your chances. If you have history in your respiratory, that will affect your efficiency. Thus, candidates are checked properly for any such conditions that may cause them harm in such circumstances.

If you fill up the forms, a lot of boxes should be marked. If you feel you tick these boxes, then go and find out how long it takes to become a firefighter!

What Does a El Segundo Firefighter Do?

Firefighters are your everyday heroes who work together to set out fires and help people when they get stuck in such circumstances. They are around in rescue missions you see in common incidents, not just fire. This means that the image of firefighters saving a kitten stuck on a tree often shown on televisions is in fact true. Aside from this, they’re also accountable for instructing individuals to avoid further fires. They also carry out the investigation as to the reasons of fire, its source or cause.

Putting Out Fires

This is the main role of firefighters. When on-duty, these individuals stay in their firehouse to interact to a call as soon as possible. When they get a call, they rush to the location in one of their firetrucks which might contain hoses or ladders. There are also fire trucks that are used for carrying harmed fire victims.

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Firefighting is a team work. Each member already has its specified job. Some individuals are in charge of controlling the ladder and rescue actions. Others are in charge of controlling the water flow as well as extinguishing the fire. The same as any other team that has a leader ordering the operation, their group is headed by their commanding officer. They work in shifts, for that reason, every shifting unit has its corresponding officers.

Rescuing People

A certification in EMT is needed to all firefighters. Considering that the primary task of the rescuer would be to save lives, it is essential that a firefighter has this EMT. A firefighter might need this technical know-how if a victim is cornered in fires. Not all rescue procedures are fire related. There are cases that a fireman comes first in the scene. These casualties may be caused because of natural disasters, motor crashes or a few other reasons. Firefighter has to work to save the victim. This is where a firefighters knowledge in EMT will come in handy.

Educating People

Fire science is one of the skills a firefighter has. The amount of knowledge will depend on which degree they have pursued in the area or which course they have studied. By discussing what they know, they help individuals by educating them how to avoid fire from occurring. This is commonly performed just after they visit a fire site and extinguish it. In certain other situations also, they go to schools or other public sites to educate and sometime do demo on what to perform in case there is fire.

Fire Investigation

Also, it is imperative to understand the source of fire. They must distinguish what caused it so they could prevent further such scenarios. Oftentimes, it’s possible that criminals with vicious intent set such fires. It is then the job of the firefighters to check out and provide more hints to the law enforcement officers about who started it. Firefighters specializing in investigations related to fire are called arson investigators. Along with the law enforcement, they work to investigate possible arsonists.

As you could see, there is a broad number of reasons to contact these people our everyday heroes. While extinguishing fires in several places, they ignite one in our hearts. So, if you think you wish to be like them, begin filling up the list!